Jerry Glanville and Romeo Crennel Selected as Head Coaches of the 89th East-West Shrine Game

Former NFL coaches and NFL stars of tomorrow, come together in game benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children®

(TAMPA, Fla.) For the 89th time, many of the best college football players in the nation will team up for an all-star game to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children®. On January 18, the East-West Shrine Game will again kick off at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. Returning to direct the East squad will be former Atlanta Falcons and Houston Oiler head coach Jerry Glanville. Taking the reins for the West’s top signal caller will be Romeo Crennel, a former head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns.

Glanville was also a coach last year, and the game will be an opportunity to even his record following a 28-13 loss by his East team. Yet while no head coach will ever feel good about losing, the nature of the East-West Shrine game does help Glanville view the 2013 outcome philosophically. “In the end, it’s really about everyone having a good time in support of great cause,” Glanville said. Nevertheless, the former NFL head coach says he’s looking forward to having this year’s new crop of talent “ready to play.”

Crennel is also eager to coach so many of the young men who’ve been thrilling Saturday crowds throughout the country. Noting the high level of talent in the game—more than 60 players from the 2013 game signed with NFL or CFL teams—Crennel said, “This promises to be an absolutely wonderful experience. I’m truly excited about the chance to meet and work with these outstanding young men.”

The contest is the nation’s longest running college all-star game and was first played in 1925. Given the rich history involved, ensuring that each year’s event is better than the last can be a challenge. But Harold Richardson, executive director of the East-West Shrine Game, is confident of another winning effort. “We have tremendous coaches in Coach Glanville and Coach Crennel. We’ll have amazing athletes—all eager to show off their skills, and we have a fabulous setting at Tropicana Field. Fans who come out to enjoy the game and support Shriners Hospitals for Children can expect a fantastic time.”

Kick-off is at 4 p.m. on January 18, 2014, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. To learn more about the East-West Shrine Game or to order tickets, please visit shrinegame.com.

About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. The 22 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico provide advanced care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. To learn more about Shriners Hospitals for Children, please visit shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.